A 27 y/o woman, sexually assaulted for years in Guatemala, crossed in 2007 seeking asylum.
She speaks Jacaltec & didn't understand forms judges made her sign—common for indigenous speakers.
She was deported in 2017 to the town where her assailants live. buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/adolfo…
She speaks Jacaltec & didn't understand forms judges made her sign—common for indigenous speakers.
She was deported in 2017 to the town where her assailants live. buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/adolfo…
Her case is egregious: She was a minor when she crossed in 2007 &, not understanding the language, signed her own deportation order.
She had no idea what she'd done. She stayed another 10 years, gave birth to two US citizen daughters.
She was arrested in front of their eyes.
She had no idea what she'd done. She stayed another 10 years, gave birth to two US citizen daughters.
She was arrested in front of their eyes.
She crossed again in 2018 & is waiting for emergency hearings to stop her deportation.
She's faced attempted rape, sexual assault, threats, & other abuse in her hometown—she cannot be forced back.
Her daughters are here, her life is here—she cannot be forced back.
She's faced attempted rape, sexual assault, threats, & other abuse in her hometown—she cannot be forced back.
Her daughters are here, her life is here—she cannot be forced back.
Her legal case crumbled b/c of the discrimination faced by indigenous speakers in our immigration system.
She didn't understand the forms & failed interviews conducted in Spanish.
She feared asking for them in her own language, a widespread phenomenon for indigenous speakers.
She didn't understand the forms & failed interviews conducted in Spanish.
She feared asking for them in her own language, a widespread phenomenon for indigenous speakers.
Now, b/c of her previous deportation, her case will be much harder to win, even though she *didn't understand the forms she was signing.*
Such discrimination is faced by thousands of indigenous speakers. They don't get the resources to tell their stories, & they're deported.
Such discrimination is faced by thousands of indigenous speakers. They don't get the resources to tell their stories, & they're deported.
This has to stop. We are deporting people back to certain sexual assault b/c they didn't understand the forms we put in front of their face in a stressful, adversarial, confusing bureaucracy.
We need to give indigenous people the resources they deserve to apply for asylum.
We need to give indigenous people the resources they deserve to apply for asylum.
